A Rash of 'Skips' in South Bend
Local business owners face a string of losses as customers flee town without paying their bills.
Love seems to be the motto of a number of the people, variety men especially, who have struck this town, South Bend, within the past month. First the snide Shelby skips and owes several small bills—it was no surprise that they were not larger—then the proprietor of the Tacoma restaurant also owes several large bills. Then Harry Revere skips and leaves his board bill to the tune of $90. Harry is the man who recently broke a mirror in a saloon. He was under $90 bonds to appear in court this week to show cause why he should not pay for the glass. But last Sunday morning Harry packed his grip, boarded one of the boats, and left for parts unknown.
“But last Sunday morning Harry packed his grip, boarded one of the boats, and left for parts unknown.”
This report from South Bend captures the transient nature of frontier boomtowns, where individuals could easily rack up debt and disappear into the ether. Similar to modern concerns about 'dine and dash' or financial accountability, it reflects the economic anxieties of a small community dealing with itinerant workers.
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